Americas
Valero reports gas emissions at Corpus refinery
The refinery cited a "compressor malfunction" as the cause of the emissions, according to an environmental filing. The plant said it "routed gas to authorized control device."
US refiner Marathon beats profit expectations as crack spread rises
Marathon Petroleum, which was spun off from Marathon Oil, said the crack spread increased to $6.65/bbl in the fourth quarter from $5.43/bbl a year ago.
US oil, gasoline inventories swell to record highs
US crude imports rose 647,000 bpd while refinery crude runs fell 24,000 bpd, as utilization rates fell by 0.8 percentage point to 86.6% of capacity.
Colombia questions cost overruns at Ecopetrol’s Cartagena refinery
The refinery, which opened in October amid fanfare and a visit by President Santos, has been the target of public wrath after the Comptroller's office found that costs rose to $8 billion, double the initial estimate, on contracts to vendors, project managers and a three-year delay in getting the refinery online.
Dow Chemical posts better-than-expected profit as lower costs lift margins
The cost-cuts helped Dow's operating margin increase by 406 basis points to 20.9% in the three months ended Dec. 31. Cost of sales fell 24% to $8.81 billion.
Iowa Caucus results seen as setback for ethanol
Ted Cruz, the conservative senator from Texas and outspoken opponent of the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, upset Republican front-runner Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses.
Dow unveils new job cuts, planned CEO retirement as DuPont merger nears
DuPont CEO Edward Breen is set to head the combined company after the merger, while Liveris will be the executive chairman after the deal closes in the second half of 2016.
Primus makes 100-octane gasoline at GTL demo
With the production of 100-octane zero-sulfur, zero-benzene, zero-lead gasoline, Primus says it could address fuels that meet EU and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) specifications.
Industry Perspectives: Downstream disputes breaking the 10% ‘blend wall’ for US ethanol
US refiners are set to break the 10% “blend wall” for using ethanol in gasoline, but downstream professionals are certainly not happy about it.
Industry Metrics
US product markets weakened despite unseasonably strong gasoline demand, and the gasoil crack spread hit the lowest level seen in more than five years, under pressure from increasing supplies amid thin demand due to warmer winter weather.
- NAPCOR releases 2024 PET recycling report highlighting system efficiency gains and continued strength of PET circularity 12/12
- OQ courts other partners for petrochemical complex in Oman as SABIC drops out 12/12
- Brazil's BNDES approves $71 MM for carbon storage project 12/12
- Cuba on edge as U.S. seizure of oil tanker puts supply at risk 12/12
- China oil demand to plateau between 2025 and 2030 12/12
- Germany's PCK refinery says no impact from pipeline leak 12/12
